


On The Couch

by bookworm03



Series: The Old and The New [2]
Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dating, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Post-Divorce
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-25
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-23 03:09:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6102859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookworm03/pseuds/bookworm03
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben's been thinking about her for weeks, but there's a lot she isn't ready for yet. Divorce AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On The Couch

**Author's Note:**

> This is part two of a universe I started for Nutriyum Addict's birthday fic, which is part one of this universe (and I recommend reading first). 
> 
> I hope you enjoy! Kudos/comments/likes/reblogs are the best possible part of my day so if you have a few spare seconds please leave me some <3.

On the first official date - the one after she kissed him - Leslie puts on a nice, simple black dress and red high heels and leaves her hair loose and flowing on her shoulders. He already did his own research and has a place in mind, which draws a bigger smile out of her than he expected. 

As the person who wrote the literal book on Pawnee - he expected more of a protest.

They get out of his car, Leslie’s hair picked up by the wind as she walks around the front and gives him a little smile. He wants to kiss her again but she said they’d see how dinner went, so he’ll wait.

Dinner goes amazingly well, apparently, because they’re taking a walk in Ramsett Park and her arms wind around him and her lips are on his and fuck, she tastes like chocolate and strawberries and red wine and he rubs her sides as she sinks into him. Leslie pulls away, lipstick smudged and wiping it off his mouth. She laughs and tugs on his blazer and he just stares at her dumbly while her lips move.

“Ben,” she snaps her fingers and he jolts.

“Sorry, sorry, I was...your mouth, what’d you say?”

She giggles and rubs his arms. “I said I left my jacket in the car, so do you wanna go - ”

“OH!” Ben practically pushes her away in an effort to quickly remove his suit jacket and wrap it around her. “Sorry, sorry, I’m so sorry.”

Good lord, it’s her first date after her divorce and he can’t even think to offer her his jacket before she had to sort of ask for it. He wonders if she’s thinking of her ex-husband and how he would’ve just given it to her right off the bat. He wonders if he’s souring her on the whole dating experience already.

Leslie pushes her hands through the sleeves and pulls her hair out and yeah, she’s adorable. He winds his arm around her waist to test the waters, and then she’s smiling and kissing him again.

“Sorry,” he whispers against her lips. “I’m sorry. Your mouth was distracting my ears.”

She cackles and pushes her forehead to his chin. “You’re cute.”

“Well, you’re cuter. And...and...I should be better at this. I think I am, normally.”

She grins and takes his hand, steering him further down the path. When she shivers again he stops them.

“As much as I don’t want to, maybe I should take you home.”

Leslie stares blankly. “Why wouldn’t you want to do that?”

“Uh,” Ben blushes and rubs his neck. “I don’t...I’m having a good time and I don’t want to say goodnight yet?”

Leslie grins and presses her mouth to his lower lip.

“Then when I invite you in you should say yes.”

Ben almost chokes on his tongue.

*****

They kiss for hours on her couch.

It’s slow, but not lazy, hypnotic but filled with intent. Her lips get more red and raw looking every time she pulls back and he does his best to conceal how hard his dick is because it’s her first date since being divorced and he doesn’t want to freak her out, but good lord he also just wants to slip under her skin and stay there. She smells like sunshine and coconuts and her shampoo is just the right hint of citrus and he wants her to consume him.

“I haven’t done this in a while,” she whispers as he peppers his lips chastely along her jaw and throat.

“Made out on a couch?”

“Made out.”

Ben drags his thumb along her cheek as her palms slide up over his chest and then back down to his waist. He’s between her legs and he catches a flash of black fabric that makes his stomach lurch.

“I can’t tonight.”

“It’s okay,” he never expected she’d be wanting to take it to that level on a first date, let alone the first date after her marriage ended, no matter how well it was going. He dips and kisses her nose and then along her cheeks. “That’s totally okay. You want me to go?”

“No,” she grins and finds his lips. “You want some wine and a history channel documentary?”

“That sounds awesome.”

*****

The second date starts the next morning. He shows up and asks if she wants help putting her house back together because, well, it’s basically a disaster and nothing’s been put away after her move from the looks of it. He hopes she has tools, because he obviously does not, at least not on the road with him, and when he arrives with waffles from JJ’s he’s greeted with a bright smile, confirming she doesn’t regret anything. 

He’s glad, because he’s kind of got it pretty bad for her already.

“Hey,” he rubs her sides, taking in her leggings and oversized t-shirt. Fuck, she’s cute. Even when he spent the last six weeks obsessing over her, he’d forgotten how pretty she is. His hand slides into her soft hair, holding her close.

“Hey,” she grins back. “How are you?”

“Uh,” he blushes. “Great. I’m…” he lifts her up and kisses through a giggle. She cups the back of his head.

“Alright, I hope you have a lot of thoughts on assembling shelves and sorting through newspapers because Ann’s going to have this place condemned if I don’t clean it soon.”

Ben chuckles, but then sort of winces when he gets the impression she’s serious. Leslie smirks, leading him into her living room.

*****

They clean all morning and afternoon, and good lord, this woman is a packrat with a thing for birdhouses. He has to push her into recycling at least a few dozen newspapers, with the important parts cut out and she keeps grabbing him and pushing their mouths together as if distraction from her lips will make him forget she’s an insane hoarder.

It doesn’t  _ not _ work.

They order a pizza when they’re both too starving to keep going and after they’re full she climbs onto his lap and to press little kisses all over his face.

“It looks better already.”

It doesn’t, they’d need at least four weekends to take care of this mess, but he smiles and kisses back.

“Mhhhmmm,” she grins devilishly and he sighs. “I wish you lived in Pawnee.”

“Yeah?” He nuzzles. “Why?”

“So I could see you again sooner.”

“Can I come back next weekend? Help you finish this place up?”

“Uh huh,” she slides her lips along his neck. “Do that.”

“Great.” He shudders.

*****

On their third date it’s a rainy day and they decide to just stay in and watch movies.

They hardcore make out and Ben’s balls are definitely blue by the time he leaves, but it’s worth it - it’s so worth it to see the look of gratitude she gives him as they say goodnight. It’ll be worth it, he’s certain, no matter how long she needs.

Because the last thing he wants is for her to wake up in the morning and freak out when it sinks in the person in bed beside her isn’t her husband.

*****

 

On their fourth date he meets Ann Perkins at a local bar, who sizes him up several times, but eventually tells Leslie she approves. Leslie takes him back to her place in a cab after and he falls asleep on her shoulder, with a documentary playing in the background. A crack of thunder jolts them both awake at 3am and is followed by her power flickering and rain pellets rapping violently against the window. 

Ben sits up and leans back on the couch with a dopey smile. Leslie slides over his lap and settles on top of him, her brow furrowed and her eyes narrowed slightly. She moves into his lap so easily, like they’ve been doing it for years instead just a few dates. She’s small and soft and his hands already know exactly what curves to hold.

“What’s up?” he brushes her hair. “You look like you’re thinking too hard.”

Her lips twitch and she kisses him lightly, tasting like alcohol and whipped cream. He flicks his tongue and she groans.

“I don’t want you to leave.”

Ben’s mouth goes dry. “O-oh.”

“But I also...am not ready for...that.”

“Right,” he lets out a breath. “Right, of course.”

She palms his cheeks and sighs. “Sorry, that’s...very weird, right?”

“No, no, I get it, I get it.”

He doesn’t  _ really  _ get it, because things have been going super well and she seems to trust him pretty readily, but he’s also never been divorced so he doesn’t question it. He doesn’t want to push her.

“I just like it when you’re here.” 

“Me too, Leslie,” he kisses her bicep. “And if you want me to stay I’ll...I’d love to stay and do whatever, because that,” he groans as another crack of thunder rattles the house. “Does not sound like something I want to drive in.”

“No,” she winds her arms around his neck and presses her mouth against his cheek and jaw. “No, don’t drive in that. Stay here with me where it’s warm.”

“Mhmm,” he rubs his nose against her neck and inhales. “You’re warm.” 

“You’re warm, whaaaat?” she cackles a little crazily and unbuttons his shirt. Ben flips them so they’re on their sides, legs tangled together.

“Your couch is comfy, we should just sleep here.”

“Kay,” she grins as he starts working her jeans open.

“And you can’t sleep in jeans.”

“No, I can’t. Neither can you. Pants off.”

Her panties are purple and it takes everything in him not to squeeze her butt every time it pops out of the bottom of her oversized t-shirt. They sleep on the couch under a quilt she made, her head pillowed on his chest.

In the morning she looks nothing but happy to see him, and waits until after coffee to put pants on.

It’s progress he can get on board with.

Actually, that'd be a decent campaign slogan. He should tell her that. 

*****

On their fifth date he fingers her on the couch. He’s nipping and biting her neck and she’s moaning and rocking and his hand just...slides down under her jeans and into her panties and then his fingers are pushing inside her and wow, she’s tight.

She sighs and whimpers as he rubs her front wall, slowly increasing the pressure as his thumb and palm handle her clit.

“Watch me,” he whispers and Leslie’s eyes dart to his hand, obscured by her clothing and working inside her. She swears and drops her head back as he kisses along to her ear. He clamps down and she moans, walls already starting to flutter.  _ Shit _ . Her hips start to pump and Ben shifts off her for more leverage. It’s dark in the room, but in the glow of the lone lamp in the corner Ben watches the flush of her skin darken and her lips pucker as she crests with a soft whimper, wetness flooding his fingers.

He kisses her through a sigh and she starts to giggle and kisses his knuckles.

“Good?”

“ _ Mhmmmm _ .”

“Good,” he kisses the tip of her nose.

*****

On their sixth date they’re making dinner, laughing at her lack of knowledge of savory foods and sipping wine when Dave calls. Leslie’s eyes go wide, but she doesn’t hesitate to take it, excusing herself and heading for the other room. Ben doesn’t mean to overhear, but her voice is so loud and clear he can’t help it…

“No, no, just making dinner, nothing important. What’s up?”

So, that isn’t what he wants to hear.

He just really likes her, but if she’s not ready for this and he’s nothing important that...that kind of stings majorly.

One hour and twenty-five minutes later she’s still on the phone with Dave, discussing property and a storage locker and god only knows what else.  Ben pokes his head in once and Leslie shoots him an apologetic look. She’s showing no signs of stopping so Ben puts on his coat.

Because he likes her, he really likes her and if she’s not...if she can’t even tell her ex-husband she’s  _ on a date with him _ that’s...shitty.

“I’m gonna go,” he gestures to his jacket and her eyes widen with horror. She jumps up and starts to wordlessly protest, but then Dave’s saying something and her nose is crinkling, her jaw clenching in that cute way he’s come to know means she’s thinking too hard.

“Sorry,” she slumps into a chair with red starting to rim her eyes. Ben sighs, hanging his head and shuffling out the door. 

*****

Three days later she calls him, apologizes and explains she didn’t know what to say and panicked.

“I’m sorry, okay? I know I didn’t handle it well, I know I should’ve said you were over and I’m…I’m very sorry, I don’t know why I didn’t.”

“Maybe you just didn’t want him to know you were seeing someone…because you still have feelings for him…”

“Ben…”

“And maybe you’re hoping he’ll show up in Pawnee and tell you he was wrong to ask you to move and you should try again here.”

He hears her sniffle and feels a bit like an ass, even if he is just saying what he thinks to be true.

“Leslie…”

“I have to go now.”

“You...you just called me.”

“I have to go.”

“Leslie - ”

“Goodnight.”

*****

He’s there with more wildflowers on Friday and a sheepish smile. It took him a night’s sleep to get it, to really appreciate how much of an ass he was being and of course she still has feelings for her ex-husband. She liked the guy enough to marry him, those didn’t vanish with the swipe of a pen.

She’s still in her work clothes when he arrives, but there are bags under her eyes and she’s jittery like the first day of the conference. 

“I was a jerk,” he says as way of greeting. “I’m so sorry.”

“No, no, you were right, I’m sorry. I’m just - ”

“You don’t have to be - ”

“But I should be!” her voice breaks. “I want to be. I like you...so much, Ben. And I don’t want...I should’ve told him,” she reaches forward and rubs his arm. “I should’ve said...I met somebody and I really like him and after dinner I was going to see if he wanted to spend the night because I want to have sex with him,” Ben’s jaw drops open and Leslie blushes. “I mean, no, I shouldn’t have said that.”

He doesn’t answer, his mouth is too dry.

“And I don’t...I don’t want him - Dave - to want to try again back here. I really don’t. It’s just so much harder to move on than I thought it would be and I have this great guy - you - and I do want to screw this up and I feel like I have.”

“No, no no no, I have, I have, that’s why...I’m sorry, okay? I’ve...I’ve never dated anyone who’s been…”

“Divorced.”

Ben sighs, dips forward and rubs his nose against hers until she smiles cutely.

“I like you a lot too, that’s why I…”

“Do you want to come in? I’ll...make you dinner for real this time and no phone calls, I promise.”

Ben smiles and brushes his lips against hers before stepping through the doorway.

******

They’re kissing on the couch a while later, after a strange build up of an evening. Dinner making starts a little stiffly, but by the end they’re touching affectionately and talking about their weeks. While they eat she asks what office he’d like to run for and she tells him why she started making campaign videos when she was ten, and by the time they bring their wine to the couch she speaks about her marriage.

She lies on his arm and tells him about how their relationship was good and Dave was nothing but good  _ to her _ , and he would’ve supported her in any way she wanted, she just didn’t believe he understood why she wanted the things she did.

Because if he had, he would’ve understood why leaving Pawnee on  _ his  _ terms was destined to fail. He wouldn’t have proposed.

“And...it’s just really hard to re-feel all those feelings with someone else and not wonder if it could end up the same.”

Ben tries not to read into her choice of words, just strokes her hair and kisses her temple.

“But I don’t feel like a failure anymore, really. I just feel like the signs were there and I should’ve seen them sooner.”

He smiles and their heads both turn in unison and he feels her soft lips press into his, warm, with the faintest taste of wine. For a few long moments neither of them moves, they just let their mouths do everything. Leslie shifts first, sliding under him and settling back against the cushion and pulling him over her.

They take turns smiling and kissing curved lips and Ben cards his hand through her hair. Her foot rubs the back of his calf and they sigh together and tongues flick. He’s missed her, sex or no sex, he’s missed being with her.

“Do you…” she suckles. “Maybe want to go to my room?” 

His eyes bulge and she’s clearly amused by this. He hasn’t been in her bedroom yet.

“Seriously?”

“Uh huh.”

“U-um. Yeah,” he stutters. “That’d...if you want that.”

“Just, it’s so much easier to spread out,” she springs up, out of her blissful haze and takes his hand. “We should do this in my bed.”

“Y-you...uh...yeah?”

“Uh huh! I just got a new comforter set,” she tugs him to his feet and leads him towards her hallway. “ And fresh sheets and - ”

She cackles when he winds around her and kisses her neck.

“I mean yeah, that definitely sounds like a place I need to see then.”

Ben nuzzles and she squeals, steering him through the door. She starts to point out her new sheets and boxes that need moving, but he’s pushing her to the mattress and his lips are back on hers around a laugh.

*****

It’s over an hour of lips smacking and fingers brushing before he’s finally sinking inside her, and Leslie gasps like she can feel it deep in her chest. They move together and come together without meaning to, the sensation of her starting to clench around him just enough to send him over the edge. He tries to reassure her afterwards, but she doesn’t seem to need it. Her skin is damp with sweat and she’s giggling and won’t stop touching him and they fall asleep talking softly and holding hands, nose to nose on the same pillow.

It’s in the morning he feels the tension. He wakes with her eyes on him and she’s sitting up, biting her lip and looking anxious. Ben rolls over and tugs on her arm.

“Hey.”

“Hi.”

“What’s…” he sits up too. “Are you okay?” 

“I thought it would be weirder.”

Ben blinks. “What?”

“I thought…” she rubs her forehead. “I thought I’d wake up and forget you weren’t him and freak out or something, but I didn’t. I knew it was you the whole time. I woke up thinking Ben’s in my bed and we had sex and I’m...I’m happy about that.”

“Oh,” he’s trying to figure out why that’s a bad thing. “What’s...okay?” 

“I thought I would freak out.”

“Right.”

“I…” she takes a deep breath. “I know my marriage is over, but I didn’t think I was ready to move on. I thought I  _ wanted _ to move on because I really like you, but I didn’t think I would be ready, but…”

“You’re okay after...last night.”

“Uh huh.”

“And that’s...upsetting?”

“NO!” she jolts. “No, I’m just surprised!”

“Okay, then,” Ben smiles and kisses her softly. “Good morning.”

She beams against his lips. “Morning.”

“Last night was awesome. I mean, every day...with you, is pretty awesome,” his cheeks feel hot and she’s definitely blushing. “But...but last night was really, super awesome.”

“For me too,” she whispers and takes his hand, foreheads leaning together. “Also, I really missed sex and you are excellent at it.”

Ben laughs softly.

“Thanks.”

“So...I need to do that again. Like, right now.”

“O-oh.”

“Mhmm,” her eyes sparkle devilishly. “Can you help me out with that?”

“U-uh, ab-absolutely,” he chokes out as she climbs on top of him and pulls off her shirt, devouring him with her lips as his arms wind around her tightly.

“Great.”

Leslie Knope was naked on top of him and grinning -  _ great  _ was an understatement.


End file.
